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Ecstasy
Ecstasy is like a mixture of amphetamines and LSD, but the main component of the drug is a chemical called methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA). It is a class A drug and is usually taken in tablet form. Ecstasy is sold in different shaped tablets or in capsules and varies in its content. Some Ecstasy contains mostly MDMA. It can also be mostly amphetamines or LSD, or a combination of the two. Some Ecstasy tablets on the market are also bogus. Very few are straight MDMA. Other combinations are produced and can be very dangerous.
Although MDMA has been around for a long time, its use for recreational purposes is only recently known. It became popular during the acid house music of the late 1980s and has been used widely in raves. Like amphetamines, ecstasy is also a stimulant and its effects can last from three to six hours. Users can appear alert and highly sociable, and may also feel highly energetic and able to dance for hours. Their experience of sound, color, and emotions can seem more intense. However, they can also appear irritable and display mood-swings.
The come down, during which users can feel tired and depressed, can last for
several days. Ecstasy’s effects are unpredictable. A small percentage of
the population may be extremely sensitive to the drug. For some people a single
dose could be lethal. Ecstasy can cause irritability, mood swings, weight loss,
and in some cases heart failure and death. The long-term risks of ecstasy use
are still largely unknown. There is growing evidence that ecstasy use can alter
the chemistry of a user’s brain, with potentially serious consequences
in later life. There is also evidence linking ecstasy to liver and kidney problems.
Until more is known, ecstasy users are in effect human guinea-pigs.
